It is happening – we will start building the new Swan Hill skate park next week.

The skate park, which local skaters helped to design in 2017, will be built at Swan Hill’s Riverside Park. Features will include a 1.5m bowl, quarterpipe with platform, and an on-the-street section including A-frame with hubba and rail, and a fun box.

Construction of the concrete skate park is expected to take about 10 weeks, with the opening scheduled for September.

Swan Hill Rural City Council Youth Co-ordinator Kane Sparks said young people had been actively advocating for a new park for many years.

“The skate park design and development has been done in a co-design model with young people. Now, young people will be able to showcase their talents in a safe place with access to things like water and toilets – things they don’t have at the current park,” he said.

“This new skate park will be built to a championship configuration, so we will be able to hold events there, and training sessions for learners.”

Council’s Director Development and Planning Heather Green said the skate park’s construction marked the start of an exciting future for Swan Hill’s riverfront.

“The skate park will be built near the existing southern playground, but will eventually be surrounded by a new modern, active play space – a project that will roll out later this year,” she said.

“Riverside Park will be a different space soon, a more exciting and user friendly space that locals will be proud of and that visitors will be impressed to use.”

Council has appointed experienced skate park builders – Convic.

“We’ve been working closely with Convic to finalise the designs. One major focus has been on ensuring the skate park works with designs for the active play area, looking at things like themes, colours and landscaping,” Ms Green said.

“We’ve also changed the footprint of the new skate park to keep existing trees along Monash Drive.”

She said eight trees would be removed, most of them small to medium in size, and three would be relocated.

Convic will then install site fencing and sheds, which will restrict pedestrian access to Riverside Park via the ramped pathway near the new carpark. All other access points will remain open.

The skate park is being built thanks to funding from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, the State Government’s Regional Development Victoria, and Council.

This post has been syndicated from the Swan Hill Rural City Council website and was correct at the time of posting. Read the original post here: Swan Hill’s new skate park begins

The future of Council’s L2P Learner Driver Program is secure for another four years, thanks to a recent State Government funding announcement.

Minister for Road Safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford made the announcement earlier this month, highlighting the success of the state-wide program, it’s contributions to road safety and widespread community benefit across Victoria.

“It gives young people a way to overcome a variety of different barriers to get the 120 hours of driving they need to get their Ps – something that might not have even been remotely possible without L2P.

“Since our program started back in 2009, we’ve helped 255 learner drivers through the L2P Program. That’s 255 young people who now have options – options to get around without relying on others or public transport, more options when looking for employment and more freedom and independence.

“And we’re dedicated to seeing that number increase more each year.”

The funding will ensure the Swan Hill Program will continue for another four years, and through VicRoads, Council is hoping to secure additional funding to make the Robinvale L2P Program permanent.

Mr Palmer added that even with State Government funding, the L2P program could not operate without the help of community members and local businesses.

“I would like to thank our team of L2P volunteer mentors who selflessly dedicate their time to the program – L2P could not continue without you.

“And I’d also like to thank Sebastian Parseghian and the team from Swan Hill and Kerang Toyota. Swan Hill and Kerang Toyota came on board as our major sponsor last year and generously donated the use of a Toyota Yaris for our learner drivers to use.

“We are incredibly grateful for this support and for the support over the years from our other local program sponsors WDEA Employment, Murray Downs Golf and Country Club and Murray Mallee LLEN.”

For more information on the L2P Learner Driver Program, or if you’re interested in becoming a mentor, visit the L2P page here, or contact Ross Palmer on 5036 2380.

This post has been syndicated from the Swan Hill Rural City Council website and was correct at the time of posting. Read the original post here: L2P given green light

Secondary school students, aged between 14 and 17, once again have the chance to undertake a trip of a lifetime with applications now open for the 2020 Yamagata student exchange.

Fifteen students from the Swan Hill region will be chosen for the two-week exchange, which will take place during the June school holidays next year.

Those going on the exchange will get to experience everyday life in the country, including going to school and will also have the chance to stay in a mountain hostel, visit several farms, tour a seaside resort, visit Tokyo including a day at Tokyo Disneyland and so much more.

Students will be accompanied by exchange leaders from the Swan Hill municipality and will stay with host families while in Yamagata.

The 2020 exchange sees three new leaders joining the program. Max Carroll, who was a leader on the 2016 exchange has taken on the role of Chief Leader, and will be accompanied by Sarina Kelly, Meagan Monk, and Rachael Schulz.

Swan Hill Rural City Council Mayor Ann Young welcomed and thanked the new leaders for volunteering their time to the program.

“The Yamagata exchange program is such an incredible opportunity for our local young people,” Cr young said.

“They get to experience the life and culture of another country, and it is only with the help of volunteers that this can continue.

“I would also like to thank our previous leaders for their hard work and dedication on previous exchanges. I’m sure their experiences were as rich and fulfilling as the students’.”

The student exchange is just one part of the ongoing Sister City relationship, which will mark its 40th anniversary next year.

Applications for the 2020 Yamagata student exchange close on Friday, 7 June 2019.

Application forms are available from the Swan Hill Rural City Council offices, Swan Hill Region Information Centre or can be downloaded online here.

For the first time in Swan Hill Youth Arts Festivals history, we are looking for two Ambassadors!

The YAF Ambassadors are the faces of the festival, are aged between 16 and 25, and help lift the profile of young local artists and performers in the community.

We are looking for two people who are highly motivated, have good time management skills, are flexible and who live locally. The YAF ambassadors will have a strong sense of community and be willing to participate with local partners.

The Swan Hill Youth Arts Festival

The Swan Hill Youth Arts Festival (YAF) celebrates and enriches the talents of young people in our community. There are so many young, passionate and talented people in our community contributing to the arts- but with limited recognition.

YAF gives young people the chance to not only be recognised, but acknowledged, encouraged and affirmed as young people with a passion, talent or interest in the arts.

With the support of Swan Hill Youth Inc and Swan Hill District Health, a collection of young people take on the initiative and organise an event that reflects the change young people want to see in the Swan Hill community.

Expanding on its inaugural inception in 2014, YAF highlights the importance of youth planning and development undertaken by young people themselves. It also captures and celebrates the positive contributions young people make to Swan Hill, Robinvale, Manangatang and everywhere in between!

The festival will feature live performances and open art spaces featuring work by artistic and talented young people.*
Please join us on the day and help celebrate the artistic talents of young people in our communities.

For more information contact Will at Youth Inc on 0419 288 365 or will.burns@swanhill.vic.gov.au.

The youth of our region are in good hands, with two new additions to Council’s Youth Support Services team.

Swan Hill locals Hope Patty and Will Burns both joined the team this year and are passionate about supporting, encouraging and giving voices to local young people.

Taking up the position of Youth Support Officer, Will Burns said he wanted to encourage young people to not be afraid to share their ideas with other people,

“Young people are really switched on to the issues of today and have some really incredible aspirations that sometimes go unnoticed or aren’t heard,” Will said.

“Growing up, I was really fortunate to have a lot of support from my family, my school and even previous workplaces – but I know this isn’t the case for all young people.

“So if I can be their support, whether it’s just talking about their day or listening to what they want to achieve, I think that can make a big difference.”

Hope Patty has stepped into the new role of Empower Youth Engagement Worker and will work with young people who have disengaged or are at risk of disengaging from family, education, or their community.

“Having worked in the employment services industry for many years, I’ve seen the long term effects an unsupportive and obstructive environment can place on a young person,” Hope said.

“And I’ve always had a real passion for working with young people and a genuine interest in pathways designed to achieve outcomes for a positive future.

“So I’m really looking forward to working with our local youth, to help them realise their potential, encourage them to embrace their individuality, support them in discovering their ambitions and assist them in achieving their goals.”

Council’s Youth Support Services team is based at the Youth Inc building at 50-52 Campbell Street, Swan Hill. If you’re a young person aged 12 – 25 and need help, support or just someone to talk to, please call in. Youth Inc is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm.

This post has been syndicated from the Swan Hill Rural City Council website and was correct at the time of posting. Read the original post here: Fresh faces at Youth Inc

Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery will be transformed into an immersive and interactive gaming zone from this Friday, thanks to Code Breakers: Women in Games.

The ACMI exhibition is the first of its kind celebrating the achievements of women in the gaming industry.

Visitors can get hands-on with an array of playable games – from indie through to commercial hits and new releases – all made by Australian and New Zealand women working in different capacities: as directors, programmers, developers, digital artists, writers, producers and designers.

It offers something for everyone at every skill level. Deliver pizzas and crush bullies in Ninja Pizza Girl, join an animal clan in Armello or race souped-up cars in Need For Speed: No Limits.

Rebecca Fernandez, a games programmer who worked on PS4/Steam titles Tricky Towers and Armello, said she hoped it helped inspire girls and women to start making their own games.

“I think this exhibition is an excellent way to give Australians a peek behind the curtain of game development, and highlight that women are playing an integral role within the industry,” she said.

Gallery Director Ian Tully said Code Breakers would be the second outstanding ACMI exhibition to visit Swan Hill.

“To be able to bring this high-end interactive gaming to Swan Hill and to celebrate women in game design is extraordinary. I have no doubt that people will be able lose themselves in this interactive exhibition,” he said.

The game makers featured in the exhibition include: Lisy Kane, Producer at League of Geeks, co-founder of Girl Geek Academy and one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in the games category; Katharine Neil, independent Game Developer and director of the hugely controversial and influential game Escape From Woomera; Maru Nihoniho, Founder and Managing Director of Metia Interactive and recipient of a New Zealand Order of Merit for her service to the gaming industry; and Siobhan Reddy, Co-Founder and Studio Director of Media Molecule, named in Fortune’s 10 most powerful women in gaming.

Code Breakers: Women in Games will be on at Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery from 8 February until 24 March, and entry is free.

Code Breakers has been curated by ACMI in collaboration with an advisory committee consisting of key industry figures Kate Inabinet, Animation and Games Industry lecturer at RMIT and creator of education based games for children; Helen Stuckey, media arts curator, researcher and Program Manager of Games at RMIT; and Leena van Deventer, a game developer, writer, educator and Co-Director of WIDGET (Women in Development, Games and Everything Tech).

Code Breakers: Women in Games is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

This post has been syndicated from the Swan Hill Rural City Council website and was correct at the time of posting. Read the original post here: Gallery turns gaming zone for Code Breakers

Tertiary and TAFE students have the chance to gain quality work placement and access financial support for their studies through Swan Hill Rural City Council’s scholarship program.

Applications are now open for the program, which is designed to help local students financially, and encourage them to return to the region when they finish their studies.

Apply now or request an application pack

Council Chief Executive Officer John McLinden said the scholarship program also helped to address skills shortages.

“Being able to address skill shortages is extremely important to any regional or rural area, and Council’s scholarship program is one way to address this,” Mr McLinden said.

“But the program is also a great way to convey the message to local young people that there are good employment opportunities in regional and rural areas, and benefits to living and working in these areas.”

Students will receive $2000 per year for the duration of their studies, as well as paid work placement at Council each year during their course.

To be eligible they must be undertaking tertiary or TAFE studies in an area relevant to local
government. Scholarships are not restricted to first year students, and applications are encouraged from students who have already partially completed their studies.

Applications close at 12pm on Thursday, 31 January.

Find out more and apply online, or call Council’s Human Resources Department on 5036 2333.

This post has been syndicated from the Swan Hill Rural City Council website and was correct at the time of posting. Read the original post here: Applications close soon for Scholarship Program

The Lake Boga Sea Scouts are doing their bit to help the fruit fly fight.

Residents will now be able to register to have fruit collected from their backyard trees if they are unable to do it themselves due to ill health or physical limitations.

The sea scouts will visit people’s homes, and collect and dispose of the fruit. And thanks to funding from the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, the scouts will receive a donation for their efforts.

Swan Hill Rural City Council Economic Development Co-ordinator Muriel Scholz said the program was another way the community can continue the fight against fruit fly.

“We know that some people can’t quickly pick up fruit that has fallen, and this is a way we can help them deal with the risk of infestation,” Ms Scholz said.

“Removing trees that can’t be managed is the preferred solution and people will also be encouraged to register their interest in the free tree removal program.

“But this new initiative will be a quick response to help those unable to collect fruit from their residential trees due to ill health, physical limitation or compassionate circumstances”.

Ms Scholz said fruit fly remained a threat to the Swan Hill region horticultural industry, putting millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs at risk.

“The community continues to put up a great fight, and we are making inroads, but we cannot be complacent. This program is just another way to help fight the fly in our towns,” she said.

The program has been developed by Council, the Lake Boga Sea Scouts, Sunraysia Area Pest Control Industry Development Committee and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources.

To find out more, or to check your eligibility for the program, contact Council’s Economic Development Unit on 5032 3033.

This post has been syndicated from the Swan Hill Rural City Council website and was correct at the time of posting. Read the original post here: Sea Scouts step up in fruit fly fight

]]>2019 Youth Leadership Camphttps://youth.swanhill.vic.gov.au/2018/11/2019-youth-leadership-camp/
Sun, 25 Nov 2018 21:56:20 +0000https://youth.swanhill.vic.gov.au/?p=3490The 2019 Youth Leadership Camp will run from 7:30am on Tuesday 22nd January until 7:30pm on Friday 25th January 2019. This camp will be fully supervised by Youth Support Program Staff from Swan Hill Rural City Council, Swan Hill District Health, Gannawarra Shire Council, Youth Affairs Council Victoria and Robinvale College. Participants of this camp will be aged between 12-25 years old. As part of this camp, participants will attend workshops to build skills in public speaking, peer support, leadership, cultural literacy, teamwork and self reflection. They will also take part in activities such as abseiling, boat tours, snorkeling, swimming, various games, and participants will have some free time each day to spend however they wish within the supervision of Camp staff.

The Youth Leadership Camp will be run at the Cape Bridgewater Coastal Camp in Cape Bridgewater, South-West Victoria, 3305 (A 10 minute drive from Portland). This area is known for its safe beaches, spectacular landscapes and wildlife. More information about the camp and its facilities can be found at http://www.capebridgewatercoastalcamp.com.au

Bus times

The bus will be leaving from Youth Inc (50-52 Campbell Street, Swan Hill) at 7:30am on Tuesday 22nd January. We recommend that participants arrive by 7:15am to leave time for loading luggage etc. The bus will arrive back at Youth Inc at 7:30pm on Friday 25th January. We will be in contact during the trip home with updated arrival times if needed.

Spending money

Participants will not need to bring spending money, as all meals and activities will be paid for by the Swan Hill Rural City Council. If participants chose to bring spending money, this will be their own responsibility.

Contact information

If you need to contact your child or speak to Youth Support Program Staff during the camp, please contact Nellie Patterson on 0419 288 365. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee quality mobile reception.

“Interested students from Grade three to Year 12 were invited to join the SRC and their first task was to redefine the group’s guidelines, goals, vision, and mission statement – which is something they took really seriously.”

Ms Patterson added that it was this new found direction that prompted the students to reach out to VicSRC.

“VicSRC helped them work alongside their teachers to conduct a survey of all students so they could get a better understanding of any areas of concern.

“When it was identified that bullying was the top issue, they researched and prepared a presentation, addressed teachers at a staff meeting and split into small student-teacher groups to brainstorm some tangible and realistic solutions.

“And following the workshop they implemented a number of changes at the College, including the creation of their ‘Just Say No’ anti-bullying project, which resulted in a real cultural shift in their school environment.

“These students truly lead this program from start to finish. They have made such a huge difference to the school environment and are worthy recipients of the Student Voice Awards. Congratulations, Robinvale SRC!”